Guest Commentary
By David Field
B.C. Citizens for Green Energy (BCCGE) is applauding the provincial government’s $17 million funding announcement to help get B.C. consumers into clean energy vehicles and support B.C.’s green-tech sector.
Making clean energy transportation options more affordable for consumers and getting more electric, hydrogen and natural gas powered vehicles on the road is a good thing.
Battery powered electric vehicles and hydrogen fuel cell electric vehicles, in particular, have zero tailpipe emissions.
However, we need to ensure that the electricity that powers electric vehicles and supports low- and zero-emission transportation infrastructure is coming from renewable clean energy sources rather than from imported coal-fired electricity.
Recent talk about scaling back on B.C.’s electricity self-sufficiency objectives, and potentially relying more heavily on imports of cheap coal-fired electricity, at a time when electricity demands from new transportation initiatives and new industrial growth concerns me greatly.
That’s why our group, BCCGE, has encouraged the provincial government to stay the course with the current policy of electricity self-sufficiency and support the jobs that renewable energy development can create province-wide.
Investments in clean, renewable energy by previous generations in B.C. has given B.C. one of North America’s lowest electricity rates and provided thousands of jobs along the way.
A recently released report by The Canadian Wind Energy Association (CANWEA) shows that B.C. is going to need 12,000 gigawatt-hours of new electricity supply by 2017 and 24,000 gigawatt-hours by 2025 to meet additional new electricity demand from previously unaccounted-for industrial loads.
These newly-identified electricity loads are more than double BC Hydro’s current load forecast of 5,800 gigawatt-hours by 2017, and nearly four times greater than the 6,500 gigawatt-hours of additional load forecast by 2025.
Placing more electric vehicles and hydrogen powered vehicles, and even natural gas powered vehicles, on the road is going to place an additional load on B.C.’s electricity supply over and above the new loads identified by CANWEA.
If B.C. wants to remain a climate change and clean energy leader, then we’re going to have to meet that increased demand with renewable clean energy.
Increasing wind energy’s share of B.C.’s total generation from the current 1 per cent of total generation to 17 per cent by the year 2025 would bring close to $16 billion dollars worth of investment to the province and over $3.7 billion in direct benefits to BC communities.
It would also generate an estimated 22,500 person-years of employment during construction, and 7,500 person-years of employment over the 20 to 25 year lifespan of the wind energy projects.
The new load forecasts outlined in the CANWEA report means that it’s more important than ever for us to support what we’ve already started in this province with job-creating renewable energy development.
Now is definitely not the time to abandon the goal of electricity self-sufficiency or the jobs that renewable energy development can create and support province-wide.
A recent poll conducted by Oraclepoll Research Limited found that a “strong 84% of respondents” were of the opinion that the B.C. government and BC Hydro should continue the current policy of generating enough electricity within the province to meet the requirements of British Columbians.
David Field is the co-spokesperson, B.C. Citizens for Green Energy, an advocacy group representing a cross-section of British Columbians who encourage a legacy of clean, renewable electricity for future generations.
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